Voluntary Dental Insurance
You listen to the needs of your employees. We listen to you.
You listen to the needs of your employees. We listen to you.
Securing peace of mind for your people can help secure your business.
With studies finding a direct correlation between employee benefits and job satisfaction, it’s no wonder more employers are looking to expand their offerings.
So if you tell us your employees are asking for dental insurance, but that offering an employee group dental plan in which you, the employer, pay most of the employee premium costs, is cost-prohibitive, there’s still a solution.
It’s called voluntary dental insurance. This type of insurance usually requires a majority contribution from employees enrolled in the plan.
A voluntary dental insurance policy from Higginbotham can benefit your employees and your organization.
Shopping for dental plans can be laborious.
That’s why we’re here to support you throughout your decision-making process; answering your questions and presenting options tailored to your situation.
At Higginbotham, we start with listening and end with custom solutions.
And we don’t stop there.
No matter what employee benefits you decide on, we’ll get you covered on day one and deliver year-round value with our Day Two Services®. By working hard to understand your priorities, we make policies personal so you can worry less and accomplish more.
To learn more about how our values-based approach drives value for you and your employees, click here.
Or visit our Insights page to learn more about voluntary dental plans.
Learn about our values-based approach to caring for your business and your people.
There’s a good chance your team will have questions about dental insurance. Here’s a primer to give you the information they need.
If you’ve considered offering dental insurance to your employees, you likely heard about “group” and “voluntary” dental plans.
In most cases, an employee group dental plan refers to dental insurance in which the employer pays most of the employee premium costs.
Some group benefit plans are 100 percent employer-paid, but most rely on cost-sharing between employers and employees.
On the other hand, voluntary benefits, such as voluntary dental plans, usually require a majority contribution from the employee. However, a plan with some level of contribution from an employer may still be considered voluntary.
Outside of lower premium costs, a voluntary dental plan functions like a traditional dental health maintenance organization plan (DHMO) or preferred provider organization plan (DPPO).
DHMOs and DPPOs offer similar dental coverage, with one key difference. The difference between a DHMO and DPPO is how benefits and medical service providers are accessed.
A DHMO requires the appointment of an in-network primary care dentist before services can be rendered. These primary dentists act as both the go-to service provider and a portal of care for the policyholder, referring oral care specialists only as they see fit. There are no out-of-network benefits with a DHMO.
A DPPO offers more flexibility because the employee is free to visit any in-network dentist or specialist, and it provides benefits if care is accessed out of network.
While DHMOs are generally more affordable, the added flexibility of DPPOs may justify the additional cost for some. Differences in access to care aside, both dental plans typically use a similar formula for basic, preventative, major and orthodontic care.
Most group and voluntary policies cover 100 percent of preventive care costs, but coverage decreases the more specialized services become. While voluntary insurance typically pays similar benefits to group alternatives, it’s more likely to require a waiting period for certain treatments and services.
This helps control costs and maintain the financial integrity of the plan for other employees.
Voluntary dental insurance functions like group and individual coverage purchased on the private market. While coverage can help pay for a broad range of dental services and secure considerable savings for employees, some plans have limitations and exclusions.
Plans can typically help with the cost of:
Whether employees are required to pay the full cost or not, voluntary plans can help secure dental care access for employees while saving them money through group discounts.
The group rates offered by an insurance carrier to employers purchasing multiple policies at the same time can help employers negotiate a better premium price for employees interested in these voluntary policies.
Talk to an employee benefits specialist today to find out how a voluntary dental insurance policy from Higginbotham can benefit your employees and your organization.
A great plan starts with a conversation. Let’s talk about what you need.